Dr. K Visalakshi

Guys who pay careful attention to their penis health are already aware that penis odor can be an annoying and persistent problem. That unfortunate aroma that wafts from a man's mid-section can be embarrassing at the office and a disaster on a date. There are several causes related to penis odor, but one which many men forget about is simply the food that they eat. Sometimes altering one's diet can have a positive effect on the aroma that assaults a date when the pants come off.

Food

It shouldn't be a surprise to learn that what one eats can impact penis odor. After all, "you are what you eat," and health specialists have for years discussed the link between regular body odor and diet. Well, the same holds true for diet and penis odor - and perhaps it's even more important where the smelly penis is concerned.

Why? Simple. Because it is kept in a heated situation- nestled between (usually) two layers of clothing and (usually) surrounded by a thick thatch of insulating pubic hair, the penis is already prone to sweat and bacteria, which in turn leads to unwanted smells. So an "odor situation" is already likely to exist before odors originating from food are added in.

The food-based aromas typically are a result of the breakdown of the foods in the body, which gets absorbed and used and then released through feces, urine and sweat. It's the strong food odors that are found in the urine and sweat that specifically add to the penile odor content.

What to avoid

Every man's body and metabolism is different, so a food that creates a big stink in one guy may not in another. However, here are a number of foods that typically score higher on the odor-causing charts.

- Meat. Yep, all those manly hamburgers and steaks that taste so great are notorious for adding an unpleasant "meaty" odor to the body. One study took sweat from vegetarians and from meat eaters and asked women to rate them; the red meat-based sweat was a non-starter.

- Asparagus. It's so healthy, but this amazing vegetable is a "stink sink," especially when it gets into the urine.

- Chicken tikka masala. Actually, any foods that include healthy amounts of curry and cumin can create distinctive smell issues. These strong spices create a taste sensation, but they also have a habit of hanging around in the body for quite a while. A spicy penis odor can easily result.

- Garlic. Is anyone surprised about this? After all, garlic is already famous for scaring off vampires with its pungent odor.

- Booze. Various alcohols have various aromas, but none of them really smells attractive when filtered through the body's sweat system. Rather than going overboard on alcohol, a man should increase his water intake; staying well hydrated is one of the best ways to help fight body and penis odor.

- Fish. Women often complain that their boyfriend's penis has an especially "fishy" smell, and indeed fish is one of the biggest body odor culprits. Blame choline, a chemical often found in fish which interacts with some men's metabolism to create an obnoxiously strong presence.

Paying attention to food can help diminish unwanted penis odor, but diet alone cannot do the whole trick. Proper hygiene is essential, as is the daily use of a top drawer penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). Not just any crème will do; it's crucial that the chosen crème contains vitamin A. This vitamin possesses antibacterial properties which seek out and destroy many of the bacteria that can give rise to a penis stench. Further odor fighting benefits derive if the crème also contains she abutter, which is a high end emollient derived from the fruit of the shea tree. Shea butter hastens dermatological healing, which in turn can keep the skin healthier and more resistant to bacteria.